ok a computer I'm working on its an old hp with windows me.

i cant TELL you much more than that because i cant get it to go to windows me

the owner said it had alot of bad sectors on it when she did a disk check.

and it will go pass the splash screen but that about it then it will SAY system file missing or damage.

so i told her that she might as well got a new hdd or better yet a new computer, but i told her i would LOOK into it for her


so what do you guys think.Though not free,  hd's are getting so reasonable these days its really not worth messing with when they start SHOWING signs of failure.... read below for further info... its up to  you .....   with wndws ME it will be in  FAT32  files  not  NTFS

http://hardwareanalysis.com/content/topic/42190/



You're best bet to retrieve data on that would be to hook it up as a slave HDD in a working machine with a burner in it.
Replace the HDD and re-install Windows.
You will also have to reload all the drivers and re-install whatever programs she has.
thats what i was thinking patio thanks for comfirming it for me